Sand separator



P 4, 1 R. A. HILL 2,566,662

SAND SEPARATOR Filed June 14, 1948 I I 20 11 r f 27 RA YMOND A HF.

IN VEN TOR fir-roelve'y.

Patented Sept. 4, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAND SEPARATOR Raymond A. Hill, San Marino, Calif.

Application June 14, 1948, Se'rialNo. 32,877

This invention relates generally to improved separators for removing solid particles from liquids and particularly to devices especially adapted for the separation of entrained sand from water.

A major object of the present invention is the provision of a separator characterized by maximum simplicity consistent with effective operation. In order to achieve this object, I employ a device in which separation is effected in two successive stages, the larger particles of sand or other entrained material being initially removed by centrifugal force as the water moves rapidly in a rotary path, and the finer particles being subsequently removed by gravity after the rate of water fiow has been decreased to-a value permitting falling of those particles. Such results are achieved by the use of a closed tubular casing or container and means for introducing astream of sand-carrying water tangentially into the casing to impart a swirling motion to the water. This swirling motion causes the heavier sand particles to be segregated toward the outer wall of the casing, from which location they are recovered in a bottom settling chamber by the later described gravity effects and courses of deposition resulting from the swirling and roll-, ing paths taken by the water.

The. invention. is particularly concerned with the provision of a unique arrangement which assures reduction of the water velocity to a value sufficiently low for the finer particles of sand to be separated by gravity. This result is effected by means directin the water inwardly toward the central region. of the casing as it loses the initial relatively high velocity. Preferably, a transverse shoulder restricts lateral spreading" of the water stream in the direction of the water outlet and thus restricts the water to a predetermined annular path while it remains near the casing wall. Being thus restricted, the water must fiow inwardly toward the relatively quiescent. central region in which the rate of fiow is substantially below the sand entraining velocity; as. a consequence of which the finer particles of sand gravitate to the settling chamber.

The present. invention provides a sand passing partition effectively dividing the casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settlin chamber, the latter of which may contain means inhibiting swirlin therein to assure rapid settling of the sand after passing the partition. In addition, means are provided for preventing the formation of a vortex to thereby prevent possible re-entrainment of initially separated'sand.

The. above and further: features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

9 Claims. (Cl. 210-43) Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the separator, partly (iin section to reveal the internal cgnstruction; an

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the separator taken on line 22 of Fig. l. The separator comprises generally a casing Ill, including cylindrical side wall ll, rounded top H and bottom [2. The casing is suitably supported, as by legs l3, which may be bolted to the floor or other surface l4, as at I5. Inlet pipe I6 directs sand-carrying water tangentially into the cylindrical side wall of the casing. After separation, the water is emitted from outlet26 in the top of the casing, and the sand passes outwardly through pipe 28 in the bottom.

If th illustrated cylindrical casing were employed without any system of internal bathing,- the water would swirl upwardly along the wall of the casing at a velocity equal to or greater than the entrainment velocity with respect to the finer particles. Though some of the entrained particlesmlght be centrifugally separated, a substantial proportion would be carried. on by the rapidly moving water, and separation would therefore be incomplete. To assure removal of even the finest sand particles, I provide a novel bafiie arrangement of extreme simplicity which effectively reduces. the water velocity to a value well below that at which the sand will separate by gravity.

Ring I8 is secured to the inner surface of the casing wall, as by annular weld l9, and projects inwardly to form a transverse shoulder preventing upward movement of water until it has swirled inwardly beyond edge 32 of the ring. An-

nular L-shaped bracket 2a is secured, as by welding at 2!, to the inner surface of the cylindrical casing wall at a location approximately as far below the inlet it as is ring it above the inlet. Bracket 29 supports circular screen 22, whose openings are of suiiicient size to permit downward passage of sand but are small enough to substantially reduce the velocity of any swirling water which may pass through the screen. Thus the screen serves as a partition to divide the casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber 29 and a lower settling chamber 30. Fin or baffle 23 depends from bracket 2-!) and extends diametrically across the screen to further inhibit swirling. in the lower settling chamber.

Baiile 25' is positioned transversely beneath Water outlet 25 by hangers 25 depending from the top of the casing, the baffle and hangers being suitabiy secured together and to the top, as by welding at 21 and 3!. This bafil'e prevents the formation of a high velocity vortex which might otherwise re-entrain substantial quantities of initially segregated sand and thus materially reduce the efilciency of the separator.

In operation, sand-carrying water enters: the

separator through tangential inlet [6, which causes it to swirl in a rotary path against the inner surface of cylindrical casing wall I1. In the initial stages of its passage through the separator, the water is directed in a relatively narrow annular path between ring is and screen 22. Being thus confined, it is soon forced inwardly toward the central region of the casing. As it moves inwardly, the water tends to divide into two streams, one moving upwardly as indicated by the arrow 33 and the other rolling downwardly at 34. The largest particles of sand are separated from the water by centrifugal force while it swirls at high velocity, immediately after injection and accumulate along the outer wall of the casing to be carried downwardly by stream 34 and pass through screen 22 into the settling chamber beneath the screen. The finer particles are carried inwardly with the water'in stream 33, which rapidly loses velocity as it nears the center of the casing. The central region of th casing is relatively quiescent, the water moving in that area at a rate below the sand entraining velocity to permit finer particles of sand to fall downwardly through the screen into the settling chamber. After separation has thus been eifccted, the cleaned water rises slowly toward outlet 26, and the sand may be drawn off through pipe 28.

I claim:

1. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing an outlet to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an inter nediate location along the casing Wall adistance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly predetermined distance from said casing wall, the sand carried into the casing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, a partition beneath said inlet and said outlet for dividing said casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber and permitting passage of separated sand downwardly therethrough, a baffle disposed transversely across said settling chamber beneath said partition to inhibit swirling within said settling chamber, and a sand outlet leading from said settling chamber.

2. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing an outlet to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an intermediate location along the casing wall a distanc corresponding to a, minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall, the

sand carried into the casing by the Water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passing of the water through the separator, a circular screen extending transversely of said casing beneath said inlet and said outlet for dividing said casing interiorl into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber, and a sand outlet leading from said lower chamber.

3. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing an outlet to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extendin inwardly from an intermediate location along the casing wall a distance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall, the sand carried into the casing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, a partition beneath said inlet and said outlet for dividing said casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber and permitting passage of separated sand downwardly therethrough, bafiie means inhibiting swirling within said settling chamber, and a sand outlet leading from said settling chamher.

4. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing, an outlet to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an intermediate location along the casing wall a distance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from-said cas-' ing wall, a baflie plate disposed transversely in front of said water outlet to prevent the formation of a vortex, the sand carried into the cas ing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, and an outlet for the sand.

5. A separator of the character described, comprising a vertical cylindrical closed casing, an inlet in the side wall of said casing for introducing a stream of sand carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart a swirling motion thereto, an outlet in the top of said casing to which the waterrises at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical side wall of said casing, a ring attached to the inner surface of the cylindrical casing Wall above said inlet and presenting a horizontal shoulder retaining said water against upward movement therebeyond until the water has moved inwardly from said casing wall past the inner edge of said ring, a baf le plate disposed transversely beneath said water outlet to pre vent the formation of a vortex, a horizontal screen disposed across said casing beneath said inlet and dividing the casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber, the larger particles of sand carried into the casing by the water being separated by centrifugal force during the initial Swirling motion and then falling through the screen into the lower chamber, the smaller particles of sand falling through the screen from the relatively quiescent central region of the casing where the water velocity is relatively low, a bafiie extending diametrically across said lower chamber to inhibit swirling therein, and an outlet for the sand from the lower chamber.

6. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet in the side wall of said casing for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing. an outlet offset axially of the casing from said inlet and to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casin means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an intermediat location along the case wall a distance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement axially therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall. the water passing space inwardly of the casing from Said shoulder being unobstructed to permit unrestricted passage of the water radially inwardly from the inlet to the inner edge of said shoulder and then axially toward said outlet, the sand carried into the casing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, and an outlet for the sand.

'7. A separator oi the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet in the side wall of said casing for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart whirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing, an outlet offset axially of the casing from said inlet and to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an intermediate location along the case wall a. distance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement axially therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall, the water passing space inwardly of the casing from said shoulder being unobstructed to permit unrestricted passage of the water radially inwardly from the inlet to the inner edge of said shoulder and then axially toward said outlet, the sand carried into the casing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, a partition beneath said inlet means and said outlet for dividing said casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber and permitting passage of separated sand downwardly therethrough, and a sand outlet from said lower chamber.

8. A. separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, an inlet in the side wall of said casing for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said cas ing to impart swirling motion thereto, the imterior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing, an outlet offset axially of the easing from said inlet and to which the water passes at a relatively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, a ring attached to the inner surface of the cylindrioal casing wall between said inlet and said outlet and presenting a transverse shoulder retaining said water against movement axially therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall, the radial dimension of said ring being a, minor portion of the casing radius, the water passing inwardly of the casing from said shoulder being substantially unobstructed to permit unrestricted passage of the water radially inwardly from the inlet to the inner edge of said shoulder and then axially toward said outlet, the sand carried into the easing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, and an outlet for the sand.

9. A separator of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing, inlet means for introducing a stream of sand-carrying water tangentially into said casing to impart swirling motion thereto, the interior of the casing being empty and unobstructed radially between said inlet and the axial center of the casing, an outlet to which the water passes at a re1a= tively slow rate after spiralling inwardly away from the cylindrical wall of said casing, means presenting an annular transverse shoulder extending inwardly from an intermediate location along the case wall a distance corresponding to a minor portion of the casing radius and retaining said water against movement therebeyond in the direction of said outlet until the water has moved inwardly a predetermined distance from said casing wall, the sand carried into the casing by the water being separated therefrom by centrifugal force and gravity during the passage of the water through the separator, a transverse screen beneath said inlet and said outlet for dividing the casing interiorly into an upper swirl chamber and a lower settling chamber and permitting passage of separated sand downwardly therethrough, and a sand outlet in said lower chamber.

RAYMOND A. HILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,665,081 Andrews Apr. 3, 1928 1,751,689 Enz et a1 Mar. 25, 1930 1,830,713 Palmer Nov. 3, 1931 1,919,653 Hill July 25, 1933 2,425,110 McCurdy Aug. 5, 1947 2,491,801 Debrey Dec. 20, 1949 

